Heavenly Rewards: Moving the Heart of God Through Humility, Revelation, and Sacrifice
Heavenly Rewards Revealed: Moving the Heart of God Through Humility, Revelation, and Sacrifice
Blessings are given by God's love, but rewards are reserved for those who learn the art of moving the Father's heart.
There is a profound difference between receiving a blessing and receiving a reward from God. While both come from the Father, rewards are positioned at a higher dimension — they are provoked by revelation, humility, and sacrificial obedience. Jesus Himself modeled this, choosing a place of no reputation, submitting entirely to the Father's will, and becoming a living sacrifice that moved heaven. This is the standard for every believer who desires not merely to benefit from God, but to move His heart.
Teaching Overview
- Rewards are distinct from blessings — blessings come through obedience, but rewards come through moving the heart of God; they are given to those who go beyond following instructions into genuine love and sacrifice.
- Divine revelation — not philosophy, sentiment, feelings, or proximity to anointed people — is the only foundation God builds upon and rewards; everything else is wood, hay, and stubble.
- Credibility with God is not the same as reputation with men — God is moved by those who align themselves with His Word above their own integrity, gifts, or calling; self-exaltation disqualifies, humility positions.
- Jesus modeled the path to heavenly rewards: He chose the place of no reputation, submitted entirely to the Father's will, and became a living sacrifice — not out of obligation but out of love that moved the Father's heart.
- The believer who moves God's heart adopts Christ consciousness — emptying themselves of self-exaltation, choosing obscurity over recognition, and placing the Father's will above every personal ambition or comfort.
Key Distinctions
| Reward | Blessing | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A response from God provoked by moving His heart | Something God freely gives out of His love |
| How it comes | Through revelation, humility, and sacrificial obedience | By God's sovereign will and grace, not earned |
| Who receives it | Those who have learned the art of moving God's heart | Anyone God chooses to favour |
| Biblical example | Peter named as the rock after receiving revelation about Christ | God's general provisions and mercies |
| Its basis | An emotional response from God provoked by what you have done | God's love, independent of your actions |
| Divine Revelation | Philosophy | |
|---|---|---|
| Source | The Father, mediated through Jesus | Human reasoning, scholarship, and tradition |
| Who reveals | Jesus alone reveals the Father; the Holy Spirit takes of Jesus | Human intellect operating on Greek, Hebrew, or English analysis |
| What it produces | Access to the mysteries of the Godhead; the ability to move God | Knowledge without spiritual encounter |
| Biblical example | Peter's confession — "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God" | Those who identified Jesus as Elijah or one of the prophets |
| God's response | Reward — Jesus built His church on revelation-based knowledge | No reward — information without revelation moves nothing |
| Divine Revelation | Sentiment and Sensationalism | |
|---|---|---|
| What drives it | The Father's direct disclosure to a believer | Feelings, emotional experience, and atmosphere |
| Stability | Unchanging — a scandal does not cancel divine revelation | Unstable — shifts when circumstances become difficult |
| Biblical example | Peter confessing Christ by the Father's revelation | The disciples who fled Jesus at His arrest |
| Result when tested | Remains, even when the man of God is publicly challenged | Abandonment — "my spirit was just uncomfortable" |
| Integrity | God's Word | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Moral uprightness and consistency of character | The divine selection and revelation of God's choosing |
| Its value | Very important — a good and necessary quality | The sole basis of God's appointment and trust |
| What it proves | That a person is trustworthy and consistent | Nothing about divine calling or assignment |
| What it cannot do | Establish that God has chosen someone | Be replaced by integrity or moral reputation |
| Christ Consciousness (as taught) | Self-Exaltation | |
|---|---|---|
| What it means | Knowing the will of the Father and fulfilling it | Claiming divinity or superiority for oneself |
| Centred on | The Father's greatness and agenda | One's own greatness and identity |
| Biblical basis | Philippians 2:5 — "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus" | No biblical basis |
| Jesus' example | He thought not of Himself but of the Father's will | He made Himself of no reputation — the opposite of self-exaltation |
| Reputation with Men | Credibility with God | |
|---|---|---|
| How it is built | By association with the righteous, titles, public image | By choosing a place of no reputation, humility, and sacrifice |
| Who values it | The Pharisees — separated from sinners and publicans | God — who was moved when Jesus humbled Himself at the Jordan |
| What it costs | Proximity to the lost; the ability to go to the dirty and rejected | Nothing of eternal value |
| What it produces | Acceptance in the sight of men; loss of credibility with God | Power — "your only reputation becomes the hand of God on you" |
| Jesus' model | He left all reputation; was a friend of publicans and sinners | The Father declared, "This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased" |
| Jesus' Divine Nature | Jesus' Human Nature | |
|---|---|---|
| Title used | "The Lord Jesus" / "Jehovah" | "Christ Jesus" — the anointed man |
| Can be killed | No — "You can't kill the Lord" | Yes — subject to death as a fully human being |
| Subject to the law | No | Yes — confined to the same laws as every human being |
| Given advantage | Not applicable | None — "If I gave him an advantage, then he's not worthy to be a sacrifice" |
| Grew in wisdom | Not applicable | Yes — Luke 2 records He grew in wisdom and stature |
| Obedience to God | Moving the Heart of God | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Doing what God commands | Provoking an emotional response from God through revelation, humility, and sacrifice |
| What you receive | Benefit — the fruit of alignment with God's will | Reward — God's heart responds and reacts toward you |
| Who benefits | The believer who obeys | God Himself is moved; the believer receives a reward |
| Biblical example | Fulfilling the law and commands | The Centurion's faith; Peter's revelation; Jesus' obedience unto death |
| Its limit | Obedience is what you should do anyway | Goes beyond duty into the realm of relationship with the Father |
Blessings vs. Rewards: What Moves the Heart of God
- A blessing is what God gives freely out of His love — it is not earned, and requires nothing of the recipient beyond receiving it.
- A reward is also not earned, but it is centred on moving the heart of God — it is the result of something done that provokes an emotional response in the Father.
- God does not benefit from anything human beings do; therefore, obedience is not the basis of reward — it is simply what a believer is expected to do.
"The people who have proximity with God are people who have learnt the art of moving the heart of God, not simply obeying God, but moving the heart of God."
God's Unchanging Nature and Emotional Response
- God is the standard — everything in creation changes to meet a standard, but God Himself is the standard and therefore cannot change.
- God cannot be surprised because He knows all things, but He can be moved — to move God is to cause Him to have an emotional response that provokes His nature to react in a certain way.
- Moving God does not provoke blessings — it provokes rewards.
"You can't surprise a God who knows everything, but you can move him because to move him is to cause him to have an emotional response to what you have done that will provoke His nature to react in a certain way."
The Centurion: Faith That Moved Jesus
- The Centurion had no word of God in him — he was not a Jew and did not practice Judaism — yet by the spirit of revelation he understood the nature and authority of Christ.
- His statement to Jesus — that Jesus need only send His word — declared that Jesus had all power in heaven and on earth even while in human form, and that He operated under His own authority.
- Jesus was moved to an emotional response — "I have not seen such faith in the whole of Israel" — because the Centurion accessed information that was beyond his spiritual capacity; revelation had come to him from outside himself.
"He said Jesus is Lord without saying Jesus is Lord. He said you have all power in heaven and on earth even though you are in human form, you are actually under your own authority."
The Spirit of Revelation vs. Philosophy and Sentiment
- Most believers operate in philosophy — studying Greek, Hebrew, and English — without ever receiving revelation, because their source is not properly aligned.
- The Holy Spirit does not give revelation — He teaches all things and takes of what Jesus made available; revelation of the Father belongs uniquely to Jesus.
- Whoever functions in the spirit of revelation has been made known to by the Father Himself — this is the category of people God rewards.
"The Holy Spirit will teach you all things. He will take of me. Meaning the information you get from the Holy Spirit is what Jesus made available."
Jesus: The Only Revealer of the Father
- The Father made Himself known to humanity through the Son — throughout Scripture, the Holy Spirit has never revealed the Father but has shown the power of the Father.
- Jesus is the custodian of mysteries; the Holy Spirit is the conferrer who brings to remembrance what Jesus said and takes of what belongs to Jesus.
- When Jesus reveals the Father to a believer, that believer becomes a partaker of what moves God — there are things God will not say, but He will send someone to move a person's spirit so that they know He has spoken.
"There are things that the Father did not say to Jesus, but he said it to Jesus by revealing something to him. There are things God won't tell you, but God will send somebody to move your spirit so that you know that he has said what he has said."
Peter's Revelation and the Reward That Followed
- When Jesus asked the disciples who He was, Peter alone answered from revelation: "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God."
- Jesus immediately identified that flesh and blood had not revealed this — the Father in heaven had spoken to Peter — and He rewarded Peter with the assignment to build the church upon that revelation.
- John was the disciple closest to Jesus — the most beloved, the one at the cross, the one Jesus trusted with secrets — yet Jesus rewarded Peter because Peter spoke from revelation, not from relationship proximity.
"Jesus rewarded somebody that was not closest to him. John was close to him, but John did not speak of Jesus based on revelation. He spoke of Jesus based on his relationship with him."
You Know Your Man or Woman of God by Revelation, Not Feelings
- People who move from one man of God to another are not moving by revelation — they are moving by sentiment, emotional experience, and sensationalism.
- Revelation is stable: if God revealed that this is your man of God, a public scandal does not cancel the revelation — you stand.
- Integrity is important and a good thing, but integrity is not proof that God has chosen someone — divine calling has nothing to do with moral reputation alone.
"You know who your man or woman of God is by divine revelation, not by feelings."
The Father's Heart for Souls and the Nature of Sacrifice
- Jesus was given for souls — the one who gave Him up is the one who desires souls; it is the Father's heart that is consumed with the salvation of humanity.
- In order for something to be a sacrifice, the sacrifice must be given up — it is an innocent thing that has nothing to do with the mess but becomes messy so that it is worthy.
- Jesus did not die of His own will; He died because the Father willed it — Jesus was not trying to please people, He was trying to please His Father.
"Jesus was given for souls. Whoever gave him up for souls is the one that is interested in souls."
The Christ Mind: Knowing and Fulfilling the Father's Will
- The mind of Christ is not about self-exaltation or claiming to be God — it is entirely centred on knowing the will of the Father and fulfilling it.
- The title "Christ Jesus" in Philippians 2 refers to Jesus' human nature — "Christ" means anointed, and the anointed one is appointed for a purpose; it is not Jesus the Lord, who cannot die, but Jesus the man.
- Jesus, though being in the form of God and equal with God, chose a place of no reputation — He made Himself of no reputation, not the Father; He took on the form of a servant by His own choosing.
"Christ consciousness is centered on knowing the will of the Father and fulfilling it."
The Danger of Reputation-Seeking
- Some believers, pastors, prophets, and bishops guard their titles and public image — but if you cannot go to the dirty, the rejected, and the insulted, you are protecting your reputation and God has nothing to do with you.
- The Pharisees maintained reputation with the righteous by their own standard, yet Jesus was a friend of publicans and sinners — those are the lost, and they are the Father's priority.
- To eat with someone publicly in the biblical world was to announce alliance; to eat with them in your home was to declare family — Jesus chose this with sinners, declaring His alignment with the lost.
"Some people have reputation in the sight of men but have lost all reputation and credibility in the sight of God."
Jesus Humbled Himself and Moved the Father's Heart
- Jesus humbled Himself by going to John the Baptist to be baptized — not because He had sin, but to fulfill righteousness, to appear on the Father's radar, and to announce He was ready to die.
- When Jesus humbled Himself at the Jordan, the Father was moved: heaven opened and the Father declared, "This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased."
- What pleased the Father was that Jesus chose a place of no reputation — and in that place of no reputation, He became a living sacrifice, and God is moved by living sacrifices.
"God is moved by living sacrifices."
Obedience Unto Death and the Reward of the Name Above All Names
- Jesus was obedient even unto the death of the cross — and because of this, He was given a name above all names, a reward that no one else can touch.
- Even though Jesus is God, He was given a great name because of His obedience as a man — this demonstrates that God rewards those who move His heart through humility and sacrifice.
- The path to heavenly rewards is the path Jesus walked: valuing others above yourself, esteeming others better than yourself, and looking not on your own things but on the things of others.
"Jesus is not trying to please you. He's trying to please his Father."
Choosing No Reputation to Gain Credibility with God
- Power is not given to those who protect their public image — power is given to those who have no reputation, so that their only reputation becomes the hand of God upon them.
- When you choose a place of no reputation before men, you gain credibility with God — and credibility with God is what positions you to receive rewards.
- The Father's greatest sign of love was laying down the life of His Son for rebellious humanity — and the greatest sign of love any believer can give is to lay their own life down for another.
"Power is given to those who have no reputation. Then your only reputation becomes the hand of God on you, not your own life, not your own deeds."
Key Definitions
Reward — Not something earned, but God's response to someone who has moved His heart; distinct from a blessing in that it is provoked by revelation, humility, or sacrificial obedience.
Blessing — Something God freely gives out of His love, independent of anything the recipient has done to provoke it.
Moving God's Heart — Causing God to have an emotional response to what a person has done, which provokes His nature to react in a certain way; this is distinct from merely obeying God.
Spirit of Revelation — The Father making Himself directly known to a believer — not through the Holy Spirit's teaching function, but through the Father's own disclosure, mediated through what Jesus has revealed.
No Reputation — The deliberate posture Jesus chose — and believers are called to choose — of refusing to guard public image or title, so that one's only credibility comes from the hand of God rather than from the approval of men.
Christ Consciousness — Not thinking oneself to be God, but carrying the mind of Christ Jesus the man: entirely centred on knowing the will of the Father and fulfilling it, without personal agenda or self-exaltation.
Key Takeaways
- God cannot be surprised, but He can be moved — understanding the difference between shocking God and moving God is what separates a believer who merely benefits from obedience and one who receives rewards from heaven.
- Revelation — not relationship proximity, feelings, or integrity — is the currency God rewards — Peter, not John, was given the assignment to build the church because he spoke from divine revelation, not from closeness to Jesus.
- Choosing a place of no reputation is the prerequisite for power — Jesus modelled this at the Jordan, and the Father's response — "This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased" — was the reward; God is moved by living sacrifices, not by those who protect their public image.
Reflection Questions
- Are you currently obeying God because it benefits you, or are you genuinely seeking to learn the art of moving His heart? What is the difference in your daily posture before God?
- Do you know your spiritual covering — your man or woman of God — by divine revelation, or by feelings, spiritual atmosphere, and what God has done through their hands for you? What would change if that covering faced a public crisis tomorrow?
- Where in your life are you protecting your reputation — with people, with ministry circles, or on social media — at the cost of going to the dirty, rejected, or publicly scorned? What would it look like to choose a place of no reputation this week?
- Is the mind that is in you the mind of Christ Jesus — centred entirely on the Father's will and others' good — or is it centred on your own agenda, legacy, and spiritual advancement?
- The greatest sign of love is laying your life down for another. Who in your life is rebellious, difficult, or costly to love — and what would it look like to become a living sacrifice for the Father's sake toward them?
Scripture References
- Matthew 8:5-10
- Matthew 16:17-18 — "And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." (KJV)
- Matthew 3:11-15
- Matthew 3:17 — "And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (KJV)
- John 3:16 — "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (KJV)
- John 14:26 — "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." (KJV)
- John 14:6
- John 15:13 — "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." (KJV)
- Philippians 2:1-4 — "If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others." (KJV)
- Philippians 2:5 — "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." (KJV)
- Philippians 2:5-7 — "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men." (KJV)
- Philippians 2:7-9 — "But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name." (KJV)
- 2 Corinthians 3:17 — "Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." (KJV)
Golden Nuggets
"The people who have proximity with God are people who have learnt the art of moving the heart of God, not simply obeying God, but moving the heart of God."
"You can't surprise a God who knows everything, but you can move him because to move him is to cause him to have an emotional response to what you have done that will provoke His nature to react in a certain way."
"You know who your man or woman of God is by divine revelation, not by feelings."
"Some people have reputation in the sight of men but have lost all reputation and credibility in the sight of God."
"Power is given to those who have no reputation. Then your only reputation becomes the hand of God on you, not your own life, not your own deeds."
"God is moved by living sacrifices."
"Jesus was given for souls. Whoever gave him up for souls is the one that is interested in souls."
"If I eat with you publicly, I am announcing my alliance with you. If I eat with you in my home, I am declaring we have become family."
"Christ consciousness is centered on knowing the will of the Father and fulfilling it."
"The greatest sign of love is for one to lay their life down for another."
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